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And if the strongest El Niño on record holds true, North Texas can expect a wet winter. The three-month outlook released Thursday by the Climate Prediction Center shows a wetter than normal winter with cooler than normal temperatures.

“It’s still unclear if we’ll have a snowier winter but the law of averages would tend to have you think it’s bound to happen with some of these storms,” said Tom Bradshaw, meteorologist in charge for the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth.

Bradshaw said storm tracks that typically happen during El Niño winters can prevent Arctic air from plunging south so “we don’t quite have as much confidence” about how many outbreaks North Texas will see this winter.

WFAA meteorologist Greg Fields also said the odds are probably greater that North Texas could see more ice or snow.

“The more storms we have, the more likely we'll see our share of winter weather,” Fields said. “But so far we haven't had the big pushes of cold air moving in. Personally, I'll take the rain over the snow and ice. Only time will tell.”

‘We’re not going to be dry’

There is a definitely a correlation between El Niño winters and snow, but those wanting a winter wonderland shouldn’t get too excited.

DFW’s 5 snowiest winters occurred in a weak or moderate El Niño.

Apparently, a weak El Niño can produce more snow than a strong one, said State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon.

“The five snowiest winters since 1914 in DFW occurred during an El Niño but they were all weak to moderate El Niños,” Nielsen-Gammon said. “There has not yet been a strong El Niño that produced more than 4 inches of snow in DFW.”

A strong El Niño is usually followed by its sister weather phenomenon, La Niña, that brings dry conditions to Texas.

“By this time next year, we may be in our next drought,” Nielsen-Gammon said.

We certainly are aware of the El Niño phenemenon and what it may do for our winter weather.

TxDOT spokesman Val Lopez

Prepping for the worst

Given the winter outbreaks of the last two years, the Texas Department of Transportation already has stocked 36,000 tons of salt, sand and salt based deicers. Workers have the ability to make brine, which can be used to pre-treat roads ahead of storms, said TxDOT spokesman Val Lopez.

“We certainly are aware of the El Niño phenomenon and what it may do for our winter weather,” Lopez said.

Both Tarrant County and the Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management held a seminar on Wednesday to plan for winter.

Juan Ortiz, Fort Worth’s emergency management coordinator, said entities were told to get ready for ice and snow.

“I think the chances are greater we're going to have more ice this winter so we go ahead and plan and prepare like it's going to happen, “ Ortiz said. “Given the forecast, that’s the most prudent thing to do.”

The reality is we're not Boston...

Juan Ortiz, Fort Worth Emergency Management coordinator

After ice storms during the last two winters, Ortiz said North Texas cities and counties must also be realistic. There’s only so many resources available to clear roads and sidewalks.

“The reality is we're not Boston, we're not Chicago, we’re not Fargo, North Dakota,” Ortiz said. “There are limits in our capabilities but we’re going to be ready and use those resources as best as we can.”